Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Not By Bread Alone. . .

The word tribulation comes from the old Latin word for a threshing sled, which is tribulum. Many of us who have never witnessed a grain threshing, little realize what a violent process threshing is. Even, today with all our technical advances, farmers are injured or killed by getting caught in a threshing machine. Because this turbulent beating and thrashing process separates the grain from the straw and chaff, the word tribulum evolved into our English word tribulation and came to be known as “a severe trial or catastrophic event.”

The thing that has interested me in this word is that while threshing involved beating and violence, it also yielded a necessary product—grain. There was something good that came out of that threshing process-something the word tribulation fails to recognize. Grain is a basic staff of life! Without grain there would be no bread and without bread, I’d hate to think where I’d be. I love bread—any kind.

The etymology of the word tribulation also makes me remember God’s words to Adam: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Gen 3:19). To me that means while in a mortal world it will be necessary to “sweat,” but if I endure the sweating wonderful things will come my way like hot bread right out of the oven.

2 comments:

Sherrie and Carl, you both look great! and I'm surprised they let you keep so much hair. You are amazing - and you are always teaching. I love your insights and especially about bread! I haven't made bread for years but my daughter just taught me a new recipe for bread and it only takes about an hour from flour to that delicious first bite. I now can use some of my stored grain for wonderful bread. Now I will always remember the tribulation lesson when I make bread. Thanks again Sherrie and may God continue to bless you. Hugs! Edy

Edy, It was so good to hear from you! As to the hair, we cut it the night before surgery. But before surgery they shaved it. Right now it is about at the same length as it was the night before surgery! I'm watching it grow. Enjoy your homemade bread. There is nothing better!